He wasn't afraid of death. God did it hurt, but pain was just temporary. Eternity in God's promised kingdom was free of pain, and free of fear, and free of suffering, and Jasper knew that. But he also knew he was alone, it was stark, fresh in his mind. His life had always been the people around him. Nanay, tatay, tito, bunso. Mga kaibigan. Even those faces turned unfamiliar, like Junko, and... Fire Girl... and Alvaro. Even the very person who'd taken his life away was still someone he cared about. God knew there was so much left to say to those people, so much that would never be said because- no. Jasper couldn't leave them. Not like this.

He convulsed, thrashed in agonizingly slow kicks and bobs of the neck. Every movement was more meat slopping off the bone, but he couldn't go. Not yet.

He was able to get his face off the ground. Look up, around. Barely. Jasper was a mess of blood and flesh, painted onto the floor. But all he could see through the darkness that was beginning to steal his vision...

Alvaro.

"..." Jasper had tried to say something. It hadn't come out right, or at all, even though his throat had weakly stuttered. No, no, please, he didn't want it to end like this. Not like this. He was Jasper. He was Alvaro's friend, and Alvaro was right there, and Jasper couldn't leave Alvaro like this. He had... had to say...